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03/25/2010

Sunday Brunch at the Harbor View

CELEBRATING SPRING IN STYLE

It was a great day to be out and about on Martha's Vineyard last Sunday. Jim and I decided to celebrate the first day of spring by going to brunch at the newly-remodled Harbor View. The hotel is aptly named - one thing is for sure, you can't beat the fabulous panoramic views of Edgartown Harbor with the charming little white Lighthouse at it's point. Even though I've lived in Edgartown for many years, I never tire of this view.

Dressed in our Sunday best, we feasted on Fresh Fruit, Oysters on the Half-Shell with Mignonette Sauce and a variety of delicious salads. My favorite was the Panzanella -a very interesting bread-based salad which I first enjoyed in Tuscany. The Water Street Restaurant (the latest incarnation of the hotel's eatery) version is a lot like my recipe, though I prefer to make it in the summertime when garden tomatoes are at their peak, and I use more tomatoes and basil in addition to the fresh baby greens.

I wish I had taken a photo of the Bloody Mary. It was truly a delightful sight in the tall, squared-off glass (glassware is oh so very important), elegantly rimmed with seasoned salt and garnished with an embraced pair of celery stalks, lemon, lime and two kinds of straws. Perhaps it sounds a bit over-done, but it wasn't - it was festive and fun.

I did snap a shot of the pretty Fresh Fruit display - nothing earth-shatteringly original, but very nicely put together and quite tasty for the time of the year.

Main courses are now offered made-to-order, a change that I really prefer over the less appetizing common practice of allowing eggs and the like to dry out in covered hotel pans over sternos. (Kudos to the chef!) The entree choices were plentiful - some offerings were quite intriguing, like the Lobster Benedict and Smoked Salmon Omelette, and I was tempted to try them, but in the end I chose the more traditional Steak and Eggs. The steak was tasty and the eggs were perfectly poached. Jim is on a bit of a restricted diet and ordered a custom omelette, which the chef happily provided. (Kudos again!) The service was efficient and pleasant; the tables simply adorned with a single lavender tulip in a crystal vase -nice touch.

Dessert was buffet-style again and there were good choices. A White
Chocolate Mousse was laced ever so lightly with red peppercorns and
garnished with fresh strawberries and the Bread Pudding was tempting and enticing with a coating of homemade maple butter.

I just had to post a photo of the attractive cup that my coffee was served in, and I must say it was one of the best cups of coffee I've ever had in a restaurant. Jim was very pleased with his tea as well. A nice selection of Harney & Sons organic teas were offered in an attractive box -for a moment I thought I was in a five star restaurant in Paris.

All in all, a very enjoyable experience -if you find yourself in Edgartown on a lovely spring Sunday, I highly recommend a stop at the Harbor View. The $28.00 per person price tag includes everything except for cocktails -no charge for the view.

After a joy-ride around the Island, we concluded our afternoon with a stop at Featherstone Center for the Arts in Oak Bluffs and attended the opening of the Paper and Pottery Exhibit by the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School senior art students. We witnessed some really nice talent emerging.

It's really special for these kids to participate in their first gallery
opening and I was happy to be a part of that moment for them. Some of the pottery was surprisingly accomplished, and I especially enjoyed the "Spirit Animals" -pen and ink drawings that were both intricate and inspiring.

As we were heading home, I spotted my first red-breasted Robin of the season -honest!

So Happy Spring dear readers! Enjoy the sunshine before all the April rain sets in...OOPS! Too late -it's already raining.

Here's my recipe for the Bread Salad:

TUSCAN-STYLE PANZANELLA

10 ounces (approx.) Black Dog Peasant Bread, cut into 2" cubes

4 Large Ripe Tomatoes, cut into 2" wedges

1 Yellow Onion, thinly sliced

1 cup loosely packed Fresh Basil leaves torn into pieces

1 cup loosely packed Baby Greens or Baby Spinach

2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (unfiltered, if you can get it)

Sea Salt and freshly-ground Black Pepper

Soak the bread in a bowl of water for approximately 5 minutes. Drain and squeeze out all excess water. Toss with tomatoes, onions, basil and greens. Make a dressing by whisking the vinegar and the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss dressing with salad and serve immediately at room temperature.

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Sunday Brunch at the Harbor View

CELEBRATING SPRING IN STYLE

It was a great day to be out and about on Martha's Vineyard last Sunday. Jim and I decided to celebrate the first day of spring by going to brunch at the newly-remodled Harbor View. The hotel is aptly named - one thing is for sure, you can't beat the fabulous panoramic views of Edgartown Harbor with the charming little white Lighthouse at it's point. Even though I've lived in Edgartown for many years, I never tire of this view.

Dressed in our Sunday best, we feasted on Fresh Fruit, Oysters on the Half-Shell with Mignonette Sauce and a variety of delicious salads. My favorite was the Panzanella -a very interesting bread-based salad which I first enjoyed in Tuscany. The Water Street Restaurant (the latest incarnation of the hotel's eatery) version is a lot like my recipe, though I prefer to make it in the summertime when garden tomatoes are at their peak, and I use more tomatoes and basil in addition to the fresh baby greens.

I wish I had taken a photo of the Bloody Mary. It was truly a delightful sight in the tall, squared-off glass (glassware is oh so very important), elegantly rimmed with seasoned salt and garnished with an embraced pair of celery stalks, lemon, lime and two kinds of straws. Perhaps it sounds a bit over-done, but it wasn't - it was festive and fun.

I did snap a shot of the pretty Fresh Fruit display - nothing earth-shatteringly original, but very nicely put together and quite tasty for the time of the year.

Main courses are now offered made-to-order, a change that I really prefer over the less appetizing common practice of allowing eggs and the like to dry out in covered hotel pans over sternos. (Kudos to the chef!) The entree choices were plentiful - some offerings were quite intriguing, like the Lobster Benedict and Smoked Salmon Omelette, and I was tempted to try them, but in the end I chose the more traditional Steak and Eggs. The steak was tasty and the eggs were perfectly poached. Jim is on a bit of a restricted diet and ordered a custom omelette, which the chef happily provided. (Kudos again!) The service was efficient and pleasant; the tables simply adorned with a single lavender tulip in a crystal vase -nice touch.

Dessert was buffet-style again and there were good choices. A White
Chocolate Mousse was laced ever so lightly with red peppercorns and
garnished with fresh strawberries and the Bread Pudding was tempting and enticing with a coating of homemade maple butter.

I just had to post a photo of the attractive cup that my coffee was served in, and I must say it was one of the best cups of coffee I've ever had in a restaurant. Jim was very pleased with his tea as well. A nice selection of Harney & Sons organic teas were offered in an attractive box -for a moment I thought I was in a five star restaurant in Paris.

All in all, a very enjoyable experience -if you find yourself in Edgartown on a lovely spring Sunday, I highly recommend a stop at the Harbor View. The $28.00 per person price tag includes everything except for cocktails -no charge for the view.

After a joy-ride around the Island, we concluded our afternoon with a stop at Featherstone Center for the Arts in Oak Bluffs and attended the opening of the Paper and Pottery Exhibit by the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School senior art students. We witnessed some really nice talent emerging.

It's really special for these kids to participate in their first gallery
opening and I was happy to be a part of that moment for them. Some of the pottery was surprisingly accomplished, and I especially enjoyed the "Spirit Animals" -pen and ink drawings that were both intricate and inspiring.

As we were heading home, I spotted my first red-breasted Robin of the season -honest!

So Happy Spring dear readers! Enjoy the sunshine before all the April rain sets in...OOPS! Too late -it's already raining.

Here's my recipe for the Bread Salad:

TUSCAN-STYLE PANZANELLA

10 ounces (approx.) Black Dog Peasant Bread, cut into 2" cubes

4 Large Ripe Tomatoes, cut into 2" wedges

1 Yellow Onion, thinly sliced

1 cup loosely packed Fresh Basil leaves torn into pieces

1 cup loosely packed Baby Greens or Baby Spinach

2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (unfiltered, if you can get it)

Sea Salt and freshly-ground Black Pepper

Soak the bread in a bowl of water for approximately 5 minutes. Drain and squeeze out all excess water. Toss with tomatoes, onions, basil and greens. Make a dressing by whisking the vinegar and the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss dressing with salad and serve immediately at room temperature.